Flying-machine.



'11. M BENSON.

. FLYINGMAUHINB. n

APPLIOATIONI'ILED AUG.25, 1909.

1,006,624, .Patented m2114911.

H. M.' BENSON.

FLYING ,MACHNR APPLICATION ULEB AUG. z5, 1909.

Patented 001;.24,191 1.

4 SHEET-BHEET 2.

' H. M. BENSON. 4

FLYING MACHINE.

APPL'IGATIGN FILED 11111.25, 1909.

Patented 001.2111911.

. 11.I M. 'BENSON'. -FLYIN MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1909-. `1 .006,624.' 1 Patented 001. 24, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED sTATEs HENRY MICHAEL BENSON, or CRESCENT, NEVADA, AssIGNoR or THREE-roulants.;

PATENT oEEIoE.

T ARTHURBOYCE AND ONE-FOURTH T0 GEORGE `WARREN CONDON, BOTH OF LOSv A.`L\TGELIES,l CALIFORNIA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Patented oet. 2A, 191i Application led August 25, 1909. Serial No. 514,632. f

To all whom t may concern: l

Be it known that I, HENRY MICHAEL BEN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crescent, in the county of Clark and State of Nevada, have invented a new and usefulA F lying-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a flying machine depending for its operation partly upon the aeroplane principle and partly upon the lifting action of a gas bag, and the main object of the invention is to provide for efficient application of the pressure due to the movement of the machine in lifting or holding the machine in the air. y

A further object of the invention is to provide efficient and easily operated means for controlling the upward and downward movement of the machine.

Another objectof the invention is to provide improved means for steering the machine. l

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide an improved aeroplane construction for a flying machine whereby maximum strength, together with lightness, is secured.

Another object of the` invent-ion is to so connect the gas bag with the aeroplane that the gas bag will exert a lifting tendency7 or inclination in theforward movement ofthe machine.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and referring thereto: Figure 1 is a plan of the machine with'l the gas bag removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line w24-m1 in Fig. 1, showing the gas bag in position. Fig. 3 is a vertical sect-ion on line v3-w3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line f-m* in Fig. 2.

The machine comprises a cage or body member 1 with an aeroplane member or wing 2 connected thereto at each side thereof, and a gas bag or container 3 connected to and extending above the body member 1, a forward or head aeroplane member 4 and rear or tail aeroplanemember 5 connected respectively to front and rear of body 1, motors 6 supported by the body member 1, and propellers connected to said motors for propulsion and steering of the machine. The body member `1 may be formed as a framework comprising vert-ical posts 8, horizontal bars -9, and inclined members lOextending from the bottom of the framework or ,body member to the top thereof and connected to the mounted to slide vertically Ion the posts '8,

tal bars 12 which slide .through frames 13 10. t A trussed connection or vthrust means 15 1s provided, pivotall'yi'connected lat one per end to the side aeroplane or wing member 2 so that the vertical position or inclina- `or controlled by the vertical position or elevation of the platform y1l. A windlass or controlling means 18, mounted on the plat.- form 11, is connected by its shaft 19 and beveLgears 20, 21, cross shafts 22, and bevel gears 33, 34 with shafts 35 extending longitudinally of the platform on each side thereof, said shafts 35 being provided with gear wheels 36 engaging gear racks 37 on the posts 8 of frame or body member 1, so as to raise or lower the platform relatively to the Frame 1 is provided withwheel's 38 to run on the ground 1n starting or alightmg Each aeroplane member orwmg 2 comfiatl surface with transverse openings or slots 39 therein, and an upper or supplementary portion supported bv trussor frame means 40 extending upwardly `from the main portion 2 andk formed with a top flat aeroplane surface l41 above the midwidth portion of the member 2, and an inclined portion 42 extending fromthe top .surface 41 obliquely downward and outwardly toward the main portion 2, but leaving a longitudinal space between said portion 42 and -2, said portion 42 being wider in the middle so that the space aforesaid, indicated yat 43, is wider at the ends. The members or wings 2 are formed oflongitudinal bars or strips 45 and transverse bars or strips 46 extending across one another and secured `together at the joints or crossing points to form a reticulate structure, this structure being vbra-ced by the truss work 40 which maybe further braced by bowed strips or bars '48, 48 extending longitudinally of the top and main members respectively of the aeroplane and secured to the transverse bars thereof, said strips 48 said platform being provided withhorizonwhich in turn slide on the. incl,ine d members tion of the aeroplane or wing is determined4A prises a main member formed as an extended.

being bowed in. opposite .directions Thehorizontal members 9; A'platform 11 is( end to the frames 13 on 4members 10 of ythe v platform and pivotally vconnected at its upbody member by operation of said windlass.

member 2 is further braced by a bowed strip 49 secured to the front and rear ends thereof at' its outerl edOe and to transverse bars. -The aeroplaneisurfaces on lthe members 2, 41 and -42 are formed by sheets 50 preferably of hard ber or similar material extending in the rectangular spaces between the longitu dmal and.transverse bars 45, 46 and laced to saidbars by lacing 51, so that each of said sheets forms a .separate aeroplane unit capable of separate'removal, etc. The member 42 andthe space'within member 49 are simi.

liarly provided with sheets 5, 0f correspondu ing' in shape to the curvature ofl said memhorizcitally disposed as herein used meaning that their ynormal disposition is horizontal'. and the general effect-is that of a horizontal aeroplane, subject to variation bythe inclinations 'as' controlled by the movement ofthe platform.

The top of the body or'frame member 1 is closed over by sheets 50 laced to tlielongi- 'tudinal and cross bars of the top of the frame sov as to form an aeroplane surface hetween and partially connecting the wings or main aeroplane members 2. This aeroplane surface indicated at 51 is preferably slightly curved so as to be convex on its upper face and concave on its lowerface. Curved or bow shaped bars 52 extend fore and aft on the top of the .aeroplane surface 51 and extend beyond the same at leach end, being united at their forward and rear ends res ectivel by cross bars 53 to a central longitudina bar 54. Said aeroplane surface 51 is also `provided with transverse slots 39 in line with theslots or passages 39 through the `aeroplane member 2, and longitudinal slots or passages 56 are left between the outside edge of the aeroplane member 51 and the inside edge of the 'aeroplane member 2.

The gas bag or receptacle 3 is formed as an elongated, elliptical or cigar shaped body-having conical caps 57 at the front and rear ends thereof connected by longitudinal strips or bars 58 which are held in position by wires 59 and strips 59 extending around the gas bag structure to form polygonal frames, sheets 50 of hard fiber or other suitable material extending within the spaces formed by these longitudinal. and chord bars and being laced thereto to form a ysubstantially closed receptacle wherein the gas bagsproper, indicated at 61, 62, 63, lmaybe contained, -said gas bags comprising a forward and rear gas bag 61, 63 and a middle gas bag 62 conforming more'or less to the proximate portion of the receptacle 3 and being of any suitable material. The gas bag receptacle 3 is secured to the body or lframe 1 by meansfof'fwires or suspension means 66 extending from the angles Vof the polygonal frames around the gas bagto the top* members of the frame 1 and by a keel member 68 which is formed as longitudinal framezprovided with top bafs 70 which are concavely curved to fit the bottom of the gas ba recept-acle 3 and uprights or struts 71, 7,2,4 3 connecting said bars with the central longitudinal bar 54 on top of the frame 1,-the spaces between these bars 70, 74, 72, etc., being occupied by vertical sheets of hard fiber or other suitable material laced to said bars. The lifting capacity of the gas bagl .is preferably sufiicient to overcome c a part of the weight of the machine.

, An auxiliary frame consisting `of bow shaped bars or strips 80, secured to the vertical osts 8 of body 1 and connected at their orward and rear ends, serves to support the outer ends of the head and tail aeroplane members 4 and 5, each of said members being pivoted at its outer end, as indicated at 81, to the frame and pivthe vertically movable platform 11, so that the said head and tail aeroplane members are upwardly and downwardly deflected in accordance with the adjustment or position of the platform.

Three motors 6the preferably provided, a central motor for operation of the central propellers 84, 85, and a motor 6 at each side of the central motor for 4operation of the side propellers 86, 87. The propellers 84, are operated in opposite directions, being mounted on inner and outer concentric shafts 88, 89 driven by bevel gears v9.0 from the central motor 6. Each outer motor 6 is connected by gears 91, shaft 92 and bevel gears 93 with a shaft 94 extending longitudinally of the thrust frame 15 on that side and journaled thereon, said shaftcarrying the propeller 87 which is located at about the middle of said frame on the truss-work or downward extension 95 thereof, so as to be in approximately the same horizontal plane with the `central propellers 84, 85. Sprocket wheel and chain connections 96 connect the shaft 94 with a propeller shaft 9 8 jurnaled in the outer end of the thrust frame 15 on the downward truss portion 95 thereof below and approximately at the mid width of the aeroplane member 2. The propeller 86 on the shaft 94 -is at the forward end thereof, and the propeller 87 on the shaft 98 is at the rear end thereof. Any usual or suitable controlling means may be provided for the several motors to control the operation of each ofthe motors. individually.

The operation of the machine is as follows: In starting'the gas bags are inflated 'with gas, so as to exert a lifting tendency oted at its inner end, as indicated at 82, to

on the lrnachirie,- this tendency- `beinggreatest at the forward end on accountf the` forward offset of the gassbags. Th platform,

:11 is in 'lowered position, s that the aero- -plane wings 2 are tipped outwardly and downwardly vand the head and tail aeroplanes 4 and `54 are tipped or inclined outwardly and upwardly. On then driving the machine forward as by operation of the vpropellers er b, other-means', the machine rides -along on t e ground wheels 38 until theA lifting tendency dueto the action of the gas bags, as stated, in' tipping the machineu :wardly in front, in conJunction vwith /t e,- 'lifting effect due to the action of thehead :and tail aeroplanes when thus tippedup' wardly and outwardlyfand ofthe wings 2 when thus tipped outwardly and down? wardly, `will cause Athe machine `to rise oiif-i the ground, this rising motion being, corr; vtinued as long as the aeroplane me `bers are maintained in the-` inclined vpo 'tion stated and the forward Vmotion is mam- Atained by theI action of the propellers'. The bbject of tipping the wings 2 downwardly when the machine is rising, 'is to increase the. compression or reaction on the air 'tendingz lto lift the machine, it Ybeing understood thatthe lifting action is due;t`o\'a\ slight forward vand-upward inclination Aof the machine asl a' whole, so that there :is a compression ofi the' air beneath t-he aeroplane and reactive.- .pressure tending to lift the machine, and.

lthe youtward and downward tipping-of the wings 2 increases this compressiveaction by confining the air `more or less in the spacel I between said wings. `Then suicient height has been attained, the platform 1l is 'moved' by the controlling means 18 to 'bring all of tion, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this being the condition for normahflight-it being understood that the forward offset ofthe gas bag will maintain the slight rising tendency under these conditions, compensatlng for the effect of gravity on the machine as a whole.-` In descending, the platform will vbe raised further to tip the wings 2 outwardly and upwardly andthe frontand rear aeroplanes-outwardly and downwardly, the object of so tipping'the wings 2 being to re` duce the compression in descending, thereby facilitating the `descent and also givinggreater stability as the actingpressure on the machine is thereby applled furtherabove the center of gravity, and further` more any lateral tipping of the machine will, under such conditions, 'bring a greater y'resistance at the side which is tipped downward, producing `thereby a self righting tendency, causing the machine to descend in 9.,' gradual curve. by control ofthe side propellers by suitably varying the speed of one or both 01E-the side omotors, an increase of" of the maior the aeroplane members to horizontal posi-n` .clination of' the hea The steering `is effected on one sideas compared with the motor on vthe other side 4causing the machine to turn 1n the direction toward 'theside of the least speed. IIn this operation the action Vof the forward propellers 187 in compressing air under the aeroplane surfaces produces an extra lifting effect on the side of greatest speed, so that the machine naturally takes a tilt correspondingly to the circle of curvature. 'This operation may also be utilized forrighting or maintaining the balance or h'or1"zontal po ition ofthe machine. The

forward pro ellers 87 are a considerable dis- 'tancef-in advance of the main propellers 84 and 85 and the side propellers 86 and one effect of the forward propellers is to -throw the iair `into effective working contact with themain propellers and the rear propellers. .An advantage of the aeroplane construction shown vwith the transverse slots 39, 39 is that the` air, as it is compressed and correspondingly heated by the action of the lower aeroplane members 2 and 42, rises through said slots or ipassages, making way for a fresh supply of cool air enabling more `eiiicient operation. 1 y 4 -I The upperfaeroplanes 41, 42'act as balance means 'for themachinein its Hight for the reason that as the machine passes through the airethe air is compressed beneath the gas bag receptacle and forced outr under the -aeroplanes 4l, 42. and through the lateral opening 43 at each/iside, the resulting pressure on `the aeroplanes 41, 42 tending to ballance the machine.` .The centralA propellers which are driven-inopposite d'rections act 'asa turbine to drive .the air rectly yrearward.

Whatlsclaim is l 1. 'An aeroplane comprising abody member, horizontally disposed aeroplane wings pivoted-l at each side of the body member,

orizontally disposed head and tail 'aeroplanes pi-voted to the front and rear ends of l110 the body member, vandcntrolling means Ifor vsimultaneously and vcorrespondingly varyingV the inclination of the wings upwar'dly or-downwardly from a horizontal position and for-*simultaneouslyl and correspond-ingly varying the inclination of the iis head and tail aeroplane members, said con-, trolling means being connected to vary the aeroplane members pivotallyj,

the'inelinationofl the Wings upwardly or vdownwardly from a horizontal position and for simultaneously and correspondingly varying*thefinclination of thehead and tail aeroplane members, said controlling means beingconnectedto varyethe inclination of the-Wings reversely tothe inclination "of the head and tail aeroplane members.

- 3. ln' a flying machine, the combination of a body formed with a frame and having' an` aeroplane top, horizontally disposed aeroplane Wings pivoted at each side of said top,

horizontally. disposed head and tail.. aeroplanes pivoted at thefront and rearends of the said trame, and controllingmeans for simultaneously and correspondinglyl varying Athe inclination of the wings. upwardlyor downwardly from a horizontalposition and `for simultaneously and vcorrespondingly varying the inclination of the head and tail aeroplane members, said v,controlling means beingconnected tovary the, inclination of the wings reverselytoizthe inclination of the .y head and vtail aeroplane members.

v 4. In ailying machine, La body,- formed with an aeroplane, a gas receptacle extending'above said aeroplane and tapering forwardly vand rearwardly from the middlepor- ,ftion thereof, a side aeroplane pivotedat each vided rwith an upper aeroplane qconnected ythereto,.sai il 'upperaeroplane having an side of the aeroplane on the body and4 proouterportion .extending lobliquelyhdown- Ward tovvardthe side aeroplane, and means for varying the inelinationiof said side aero- 4plane.l

In a-..tlying machine, thecombination,

of a body formed as a frame, a platform vertically movable on-said body, m.ea ns;for controlling the height of` the platform onl the. body, a side aeroplane pivotedI at each yside of the body, and a connection from .each

lside aeroplane to .saidplatforin to control lathe' inclination-ofthe sideaeroplaneby the,

movement of, the platform.

6.,.ln a flying machine, a body, l a` plat--A form vertically, movableA thereon, means for controlling the vertical position of the plate.

form-a side yaeroplane pivoted at each lside `of said body, front and Vrear aeroplanes piv-` oted at the, iront and rear endsof said body Looenaa and connected to .said platform, and a connection from -said plat-form to each of the said.y side aeroplanes whereby the inclination l an. aeroplane piyoted at each side thereof,

means connected to said .body for controlling the yinclination of said side aeroplanes, motor means on the said body, propellers mounted onsaid body and `,connected to be driven by said motor means, propellers mounted at each'side ofsaid body beneath the aeroplanes and.connected to be driven independently by said motor means for driving, balancing and steering the machine, said side propeller means,l being in advamie of `the propeller means on the body, an outer propeller means supported at each side of the bodyand farther outand rearwardly of the iirstk named side Kpropeller means and diy rectly under theside aeroplanes.

9. In a flying machine, a body, Wings pivoted `to the body, a platform mounted to i move `vertically on the body, 'frames connecting said platform With said wings,

Ameans controlling the vertical height of said platform to vary the angular position of the Wngs,. propeller means `mounted on said frames to move 1n correspondence with the movement of; the vWings, and means for driving said propellers.

In testimony whereof, l' have hereunto set my vhand at Los Angeles, California, this ,23rd ,day of July 1909.

y .HENRY MICHAEL BENSON. y In presence (it-f ARTHUR P. Knron'r,

EnaNK L.- A.4 GRAHAM. 

